D5936 — Obturator prosthesis, interim
D5936 is the interim obturator worn during the months between healing and the definitive prosthesis.
It is one of eleven codes covering obturator and resection prosthesis. For the procedure itself rather than the code, see the obturator and resection prosthesis guide; for the code, read on.
What the code requires, what it costs, how it is paid, and how to tell it from its neighbours — each in its own section below.
What the code commits to
Status — interim, not definitive. It is built to function for a limited period while something else is planned or healing, and many plans fold its fee into the definitive restoration if that follows within a few months.
The nearby codes and how they differ
D5935 — Mandibular resection prosthesis without guide flange: It is the definitive version.
D5937 — Trismus appliance (not for TMD treatment): It is the definitive version.
D5934 — Mandibular resection prosthesis with guide flange: It is the definitive version.
D5933 — Obturator prosthesis, modification: It is the definitive version.
D5936 sits in a group of eleven codes in total; the remainder are linked at the foot of this page. These distinctions exist because they change what was actually done. A claim for D5936 when the record describes one of the others is not a technicality — it is the difference between a paid claim and a returned one.
Every code in this group
These codes describe the same broad procedure and differ in one respect each. Each has its own page with its own fee range and coverage notes.
Questions about D5936
What procedure is D5936?
Obturator prosthesis, interim. It belongs to the maxillofacial prosthetics section of the code set.
What should I expect to pay for D5936?
$1,500–$5,000 is the realistic range before benefits. Your own share depends on your plan's percentage, deductible and remaining annual maximum.
Will my plan pay for D5936?
Most plans include it under medical / maxillofacial benefits, variable. A pre-treatment estimate is the only way to know your own number in advance.
What is the difference between D5936 and D5935?
D5935 is mandibular resection prosthesis without guide flange: it is the definitive version. That one difference is the whole distinction; the chair time, the materials and the appointment sequence are the same either way.
Also known as: obturator, palatal defect, oral cancer prosthesis, maxillary resection, speech aid.